The Uninterrupted Advent: Reflections on Mary’s Presence in the Waiting for Christ’s Return

The proclamation of the Creed, “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,” echoes the duality of Christ’s presence: one already consummated and another awaited in future splendor. This paradox, salvation already accomplished but not yet fully manifest, reflects the “already and not yet” of the age of the Church. In this context, the figure of Mary takes on a vital role, not only as the mother who brought Christ into the world, but also as an active presence in the continuing preparation for His second coming. Mary, in this sense, is not merely a figure of the past, but a dynamic presence in the Church’s permanent Advent.

Mary’s missionary dimension: an icon of Advent for non-Christian peoples

Mary’s presence among the peoples not yet reached by Christ is a profound mystery. Her pre-Incarnation and pre-Pentecost existence reveals a unique role: to be where Christ is not yet recognized. This mystical presence of Mary, as the first of the redeemed and the forerunning member of the Church, shows that even before the explicit Advent of Christ and of the Church, the kingdom of God is already at work. Mary prepares the ground for the future acceptance of Christ among those who still live in the time of Advent, an Advent that she herself helps to define.

The Mariological bridge: from the Hail Mary to the Our Father

The relationship between sinners and Mary reveals a significant spiritual dynamic. In many cases, individuals and peoples who find themselves far from the Christian faith may find it difficult to relate directly to God or to the Church, yet they find in Mary a more approachable figure. This shows that Mary acts as a preparatory presence, readying the spiritual ground for a possible encounter with Christ and the Church. The veneration of Mary in non-Christian cultures can be seen as a forerunning sign of this future acceptance.

Mary’s preparatory presence in the theology of grace

From a dogmatic point of view, Mary’s mission can be seen through the concept of prevenient grace. Mary acts as an initial form of grace, preparing persons and peoples for the sanctifying grace that is found in its fullness in Christ. She holds a unique role among the peoples who have not yet come to know the Christian faith, preparing them, in a mysterious but effective way, for a future encounter with Christ.

Mary in the life of the baptized: a symbol of waiting and preparation

For every baptized Christian, Mary’s presence is equally significant. She symbolizes the Church’s continual waiting for the fullness of Christ’s revelation. Just as Mary filled the interval between the Ascension and Pentecost, she also occupies the spiritual space between Pentecost and the Parousia. In this sense, Mary is not merely a historical figure, but a continual presence that prepares the faithful for the second coming of Christ.

This look at Mary’s mission reaffirms the depth and complexity of her role in the history of salvation and in the ongoing life of the Church, a presence that transcends the boundaries of time and geography, reaching every corner of humanity in its waiting for the return of Christ.

Mary’s presence in the eschatological waiting and in the uninterrupted Advent is contemplated in Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Redemptoris Mater, which presents Mary as the icon of the Church in a state of waiting and of pilgrimage in faith. Read Redemptoris Mater (John Paul II).

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